News Releases

CSB Announces It Will Conduct Full Investigation of Daytona Beach, Florida, Explosion; Emphasis on Public Employee Worksite Safety

Jan 13, 2006

Washington, DC, Jan. 13, 2006 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced today it will conduct a full investigation into the Jan 11, 2006 explosion at a Daytona Beach, Florida, wastewater treatment plant. Two workers died and a third was severely burned. The men were performing maintenance activities at the facility. The blast occurred as a cutting torch was being used near a tank of methanol, a highly flammable chemical commonly known as wood alcohol.

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CSB Investigation Team Travels to Daytona Beach, Florida, Wastewater Plant Explosion Site

Jan 12, 2006

Washington, DC, Jan. 12, 2006 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is deploying an investigation team to the site of a fatal explosion at a Daytona Beach, FL, wastewater treatment plant. The explosion occurred Jan. 11 as workers apparently were performing maintenance activities at the Bethune Point wastewater treatment plant involving a cutting torch near a tank of methanol, according to media reports. Methanol, or wood alcohol, is highly flammable. The team will conduct a preliminary investigation to guide the Board in determining whether to conduct a larger inquiry.

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CSB to Conduct Full Investigation of Nitrogen Incident at Valero Delaware City Refinery

Dec 01, 2005

Washington, DC, December 1, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, (CSB) announced today that it is conducting a full investigation of a fatal incident at the Valero Refinery in Delaware City, Delaware, on November 5. Two men died from nitrogen asphyxiation the night of November 5, 2005. The two were contract workers employed by Matrix Services, Inc. They were working in the refinery's hydrocracker unit, which produces light distillates from heavy gas oils.

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CSB Investigators to Assess Fatal Nitrogen Incident at Valero Delaware City Refinery

Nov 07, 2005

Washington, DC, November 7, 2005 - Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) are en route to the Valero oil refinery in Delaware City, Delaware, where two contract workers were overcome and killed this weekend by entry into a nitrogen gas-filled process vessel.

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CSB Issues Preliminary Findings in BP Texas City Refinery Accident; Investigators Present Data in Public Meeting

Oct 27, 2005

Texas City, Texas, October 27, 2005 - In preliminary findings set to be released at a public meeting here tonight, investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board have identified six key safety issues underlying the March 23 explosions and fire at BP's Texas City refinery, an incident which killed 15 workers and injured 170 others. The six identified safety issues were: ​

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CSB Issues Case Study on April 2004 Oil Refinery Explosions and Fire at Giant Industries' Ciniza Refinery near Gallup, NM

Oct 26, 2005

Albuquerque, NM, October 26, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today issued a final Case Study report examining the causes of the April 8, 2004, refinery explosions and fire that seriously injured six employees and caused an evacuation at the Giant Industries' Ciniza oil refinery in Jamestown, New Mexico, east of Gallup.

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CSB Issues Urgent Recommendations to U.S. Petrochemical Industry, Calls for Safer Placement of Trailers for Workers in Wake of BP Tragedy

Oct 25, 2005

Washington, DC, October 25, 2005 - On a unanimous vote, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today issued two new urgent safety recommendations in its investigation of the March 2005 refinery disaster at BP Texas City, calling for the safer placement of trailers for workers at petrochemical facilities throughout the U.S.

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CSB Probe of Point Comfort Formosa Plastics Incident Continues as Team Weighs Safety Issues; No Root-Cause Investigation Planned

Oct 14, 2005

Washington, DC, October 14, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is continuing its probe of the propylene fire and explosions that heavily damaged an olefins unit at the Formosa Plastics facility in Point Comfort, Texas, on October 6, injuring approximately 13 workers. Most injuries were minor, but two workers were admitted to the burn unit at a Galveston hospital, and one remains hospitalized there.

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Board to Hold October 27 Community Meeting in Texas City, Texas, to Release Preliminary Findings and Hear Public Comments on BP America Texas City Refinery Investigation

Oct 12, 2005

Washington, DC, October 12, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has announced a community meeting in Texas City, Texas, on Thursday, October 27, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. at the Doyle Convention Center. At the meeting, CSB investigators will present preliminary findings in their investigation of the March 23, 2005, explosion and fire at BP America's Texas City refinery.

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CSB Deploys Investigation Assessment Team to Site of Formosa Plastics Explosion in Point Comfort, Texas

Oct 06, 2005

Washington, DC, October 6, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is deploying a five-person assessment team to the site of an explosion and fire at the Formosa Plastics plant in Point Comfort, Texas, on the Texas coast.

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